UNDP in
Georgia

Members of Georgian Parliament, European Ambassadors, Students Celebrate #EuropeDay2017

May 10, 2017

Meeting with students of Ilia State University. Photo: Daro Sulakauri/UNDP University

Eight universities across Georgia hosted discussions about the country’s progress toward the European Union (EU) and the Parliament’s role in the European integration. Public meetings on May 1-8, 2017, were attended by students and teachers, Members of the Georgian Parliament (MPs) and ten Ambassadors of the European countries.

Meetings in the universities were part of the #EuropeDay2017 campaign organized by the Parliament of Georgia and European Union in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In total, eight state universities – Ilia State University, Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgian Technical University, Jacob Gogebashvili Telavi State University, Shota Rustaveli Batumi State University, Gori State Teaching University, Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University and Samtskhe-Javakheti State University, joined the Europe Day campaign.

Speaking at the events, the MPs and diplomats underlined the progress achieved in the relationship between Georgia and the European Union (EU). They stressed concrete benefits of the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union for the citizens of Georgia, and discussed the role of the Parliament in creating the legal ground for this progress and harmonizing the national legislation with the European standards.

More than 12,000 Georgians enjoyed a visa free travel to the EU since its enforcement in April 2017. The DCFTA opened the EU’s 500 million market to Georgian goods and services, which resulted in a 44% increase in export during the first quarter of 2017, comparing to the same period of 2016. Around 1,700 students received scholarships for studying in the European universities in 2015-2016. The Parliament of Georgia with its legislative activities greatly contributed to the implementation of these initiatives.

The Parliamentary Europe Week will conclude with the Europe Day reception on May 11, which will be hosted by the Parliament Speaker, Irakli Kobakhidze. At the reception, the Parliamentary leadership will sum up the Europe Day events and award the winners of a youth game “My European Adventure” held in Kutaisi, on May 4.